NFF Alleged N4b Fraud: SPIP Counsel Rubbishes NFF Statement, Says Bench Warrant Cannot Be Abased Without Parties Knowledge

NFF Alleged N4b Fraud: SPIP Counsel Rubbishes Federation's Statement, Says Bench Warrant Cannot Be Abased Without Parties Knowledge

By Adeola Adeogun

Special Presidential Investigative Panel on recovery of public property, (SPIP) counsel Barrister Celsius Ukpong has advised the Nigeria Football Federation to desist from misleading the country adding that the press statement does not portray what went down in court on Monday, BSNSports.com.ng can report.

NFF had on Tuesday in a press release stated that the bench warrant issued by the Federal High Court in Abuja has been abased as the Federation's lawyer submitted the traveling documents of the five top NFF officials to prove that the accused persons were in Egypt on Monday when they were supposed to be in court.

NFF counsel on Monday had argued that the five defendants could not appear before the court because they are among the eleven members who are on federal government delegation to Egypt.

Dr. Ukpong while reacting to the press release said it is aimed at misleading Nigerians as the court can not abase bench warrant without the knowledge of the plaintiff. He added that the court asked for the list of federal government delegation to Egypt in which the name of the five accused persons is listed, the five NFF officials are; NFF President, Amaju Pinnick, 1st vice president, Seyi Akinwunmi, 2nd vice present, Shehu Dikko, secretary general, Sanusi Mohammed, and board member, Ahmed Yusuf fresh.

"The press statement is aimed at misleading the public. What is contained in the release is different from what happened in the court on Monday. The court asked NFF counsel to come to court with the federal government delegation list which has their names on it. Dr. Celsius told www.bsnsports.com.ng

"The lawyer told the court on Monday that the defendants could not come to court because they are on federal government delegation to Egypt and the judge wanted to see the original list so as to prove the reason why they could not present themselves before the court and not traveling documents of the accused persons."